


Enter Ryoka

by junko



Series: Curse of the Nue [18]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-23
Updated: 2012-08-23
Packaged: 2017-11-12 17:56:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/494064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"They were taking a break." </p><p>Renji and Rikichi take a break and all hell breaks loose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enter Ryoka

The day had turned hot and steamy. Renji decided to call for an early lunch break, and he now sat on the steps looking out into the empty practice yard, brooding. He supposed he should follow the rest of the division to the mess. Instead, he stared at heat shimmering over the hard packed dirt. A small flock of twittering chestnut buntings bathed in the dust. 

He could still feel Byakuya’s slap stinging his cheek. 

Who _does_ that?

All he’d wanted was a nice, decent kiss, maybe a little sweet lovemaking. But, Byakuya couldn’t handle that, could he? No, he’d had to go and make it all weird. Again. Like always. The only thing Renji could figure was that Byakuya pushed back so damn hard because Renji was actually getting close to something serious.

Maybe the gentle approach was working.

It was so hard to tell with that man.

Yet, there may have been some real progress. After all, Byakuya hadn’t been able to say anything in response to Renji’s question. This was a strange sort of improvement over the last time they’d had a talk about their relationship in an onsen. Last time, Renji had busted out and told Byakuya he loved him and all he got back was ‘why would you say such a foolish thing?’ But, that response had come right away, with almost no hesitation. 

This time at least—

_Shit._

Listen to this crap. That damn Byakuya Kuchiki had him being all grateful for _silence_.

Gods, he was such a fool for that man. He should really man up and walk away, find someone who would talk to him, someone he could take out on the town, show off, kiss in the middle of the street….

Out of the corner of his eye, Renji noticed Rikichi approaching. The little unseated officer carried two bento boxes, bowls, and a jug of something. Beads clinked in his hair was he walked, and he had a tentative, hopeful smile on his face. Though it sounded like a question, he said, “I brought lunch…”

Renji wanted to be left alone to his own thoughts, but it was hard to turn down free food. Especially when the kid so clearly adored him.

“Yeah, sure,” Renji said, patting the space beside him on the step. He pointed to the boxes, “As long as there’s nothing spicy in those.”

“No, sir, of course not,” Rikichi said, settling down beside Renji. 

The jug turned out to contain iced green tea, of which Renji gratefully accepted a bowlful. He opened the box and was equally pleased to see nothing more complicated than plain rice, a few pickled vegetables, and a bit of grilled fish. “See, now you know how to treat a guy,” Renji said, and managed to stop before adding, _‘I should totally date you.’_

“Thank you, sir,” Rikichi said with a little bow, and he hurried to fill up Renji’s bowl the instant it was emptied.

Renji knew this would be a great moment to say something inspirational to the kid, something meaningful, but he had nothing beyond ‘whatever you do with your life, for gods sake pick a lover who isn’t broken.’ 

Not exactly a battle cry.

So they sat like this for a while, just eating and not saying anything, though Renji could feel himself relaxing. The tension drained from his shoulders. That was, until Rikichi cleared his throat, and asked, “How long are you going to go without Zabimaru?”

“Why does everyone ask me that?” Renji gave Rikichi a sidelong glance, “You know, I’m beginning to think people like my zanpaktō better than me.”

“Well, the truth is, sir, Zabimaru has a lot of personality,” Rikichi said simply, around a mouthful of a rice ball. “He’s crazy versatile, hard to beat. Everyone knows his name, even outside the division. Seeing you without him… well, it’s kind of unnerving. It’s like you’re only half there.”

That part felt true enough. But, Renji mustered a little laugh, “You think I’m ever letting him out after hearing this? If he found out he has such a big fan club, it’d go straight to his heads.”

“Head…s?”

“Sure,” Renji said with a little shrug and a sip of the cool tea, “The tail talks, too.”

Rikichi’s eyes were wide and he seemed to have trouble parsing what Renji was saying, “Too? I thought… I mean, isn’t he ‘Curled Snake-Tail’?”

“Heh, yeah, but that was just the part of me that was missing,” Renji said, giving Rikichi’s narrow shoulder a strong pat, though the kid wasn’t going to be prepared for this shocker: “Zabimaru is a nue demon.”

“That is so…” Rikichi’s looked pale and his mouth hung open for a second. Then he slowly started to smile. “That’s so… freaking awesome!”

Renji laughed at Rikichi’s enthusiasm, but his own words where haunting him.

_‘The part of me that was missing.’_

Damn it all, it was a part that was still missing.

Just then an alarm sounded.

#

Because he had to wait for Rikichi to fetch Zabimaru from his quarters, Renji and his advance troop arrived just behind Gin Ichimaru. 

“Whoa,” Renji told his soldiers when they were still some distance from the gate. Renji could see Ichimaru in the middle of the street, the kanji three on his white haori billowing lightly in the breeze and the sun reflecting coldly off his silver-white hair. Renji didn’t instantly spot any other shinigami from that division, but perhaps they had taken up some prearranged formation. “Looks like Three has this one. We’ll hang back. But, why don’t you people spread out, find some good vantage points just in case? We have no idea how many of the enemy there are or what the threat level is, so make sure this whole area is covered, got it? Don’t interfere with any Third division activities, though; if their captain is here, they have a plan. So, if one of them gives you an order, make sure you follow it. But…” Renji had no idea why he added this last part, but he said, “Stay out of sight.”

“Yes, sir!” The dozen or so officers scurried off to do as commanded. 

If it had been almost any other captain, Renji would have instantly walked up and offered his assistance or at least let the commander know he had the Sixth at his back. As it was, Renji snuck in closer, keeping a low profile, skirting along the side streets. He kept a watch out for the Third, expecting to be stopped when he crossed their perimeter. But, he ran into no other soldiers, not even when he was almost parallel to Ichimaru. Where was his division? Had Ichimaru come entirely on his own?

Renji slid into a darkened alley. He pressed his back against the wall, and told Zabimaru to dampen his spiritual energy as best he could. 

It was a strange impulse to hide like this, given that they were meant to be on the same side, particularly against any invaders to the Seireitei, but instinct said ‘wait and see.’ 

There sure was a hell of a commotion on the other side of the gate. Jidanbō was going all out against someone. Ichimaru, meanwhile, continued to stand in the middle of the street with his hands down at his sides, smiling to himself, as if patiently waiting for something. 

What the hell was going on here? 

When Jidanbō actually lifted the gate, Renji almost stepped into the street out of surprise and a desire to see the action. Ichimaru was exchanging words with someone. Renji peeked around the alley’s mouth—holy crap! It was that orange-haired kid, Rukia’s friend, Ichigo Kurosaki, looking very much alive, still dressed in the uniform of a shinigami and carrying that crazy-powerful oversized zanpaktō. Ichigo looked all the world like nothing had happened, like Byakuya hadn’t left him bleeding his life out into the gutter. How could he have survived that? And what was he now? Had he come to the Soul Society dead or some other way?

 _Who cares_ , hissed Zabimaru.

 _We just want a rematch_ , the demon purred excitedly. 

_Believe me, I do, too, but,_ Renji shook his head, _we’ll only get our chance if Ichimaru doesn’t—_

But Ichimaru already had. Shinsō flash-extended to slice off Jidanbō’s arm. Blood rained from the sky, splattering everywhere. Still the giant strained to hold the gate open. Then there was another flash of zanpaktō, and the wall crashed down with a rumble that shook the streets. Renji couldn’t tell if Kurosaki had gotten hit, but knowing that kid, he’d have been up front, trying to protect Jidanbō.

Was that it? Was it all over?

Ichimaru seemed to think so, as he turned away from the gate. Renji pulled himself back tightly against the wall as Ichimaru strode away. Was it Renji’s imagination or did Ichimaru look especially pleased with himself? 

Stranger still, no shinigami appeared to flank their captain. It seemed to be true. Ichimaru had come alone, set up no defenses—he hadn’t even brought his lieutenant.

What the fuck?

#

Renji debated long and hard about whether or not he should immediately report what he saw. It wasn’t his place to criticize the methods of any captain, much less one from another division. None of his people mentioned ever seeing another member of the Third, so if any were there, they were completely covert. Technically no harm had come of it, but the whole scene was highly irregular. 

He was sure Ichimaru was up to something.

But… Renji hadn’t even seen Byakuya since this morning. It was typical of the captain, though, to go into seclusion whenever things were tense between them. It made doing regular business difficult and awkward, and normally Renji would just leave Byakuya to his sulk. But if that Kurosaki kid was here in the Soul Society ready to rush the gates of the Seireitei, he was a potential threat to Rukia’s safety.

Seeing Byakuya’s door actually open emboldened Renji to stick his head in. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but did you hear about all the commotion at the West Gate?”

Byakuya looked up from the papers he was reading. “I know we were deployed, but I was expecting your report to come across my desk this evening. You’ve come directly from the field? Has something happened?”

“Kind of,” Renji said, stepping inside. “I’m not sure what to make of it, though.”

“Go on,” Byakuya said, setting the papers aside and giving Renji his full attention.

Renji laid out all the events at the Gate that he’d witnessed as precisely as he could without any judgment or accusations. 

Byakuya listened carefully, but, at one point called for a servant. When she showed up at the door, the captain asked for a tea service to be brought up. To Renji’s curious look, the captain said, “Let me digest this information for a moment. When the tea comes, we will speak more informally.”

“Yes, sir,” Renji said, waiting as Byakuya seemed to go back to his work. When the servant arrived, Renji resisted the urge to take the tray from her as usual. Instead, Renji continued to stand at attention until she’d set everything out and Byakuya waved him over. 

“Now tell me what you really think,” Byakuya said, settling into seiza and pouring tea. 

Renji noticed a there seemed to be a bowl of dried fruits and nuts as well as fresh, warm dorayaki, pancakes filled with red bean paste. It was one of his favorites... was that choice on purpose and had it come from the kitchen or Byakuya? Renji divided up the food for them, “I have no idea what Ichimaru was playing at, sir, coming into an emergency situation like that, all alone. I mean, everything worked out from what I could tell, but, well, let’s just say, I’m just glad our people were there, waiting in the wings. We’ve faced Kurosaki before. He can be unpredictable.” 

“Are you certain it was Kurosaki?”

“I didn’t get a good look at him, but, yeah. Who else has hair like that and a giant zanpaktō?”

“Did Ichimaru dispatch him?”

“That I really can’t say, sir,” Renji admitted. “That damn Shinsō extends so fast and so far, it was impossible for me to tell for sure.”

Byakuya chewed his pancake thoughtfully. “This complicates things. I’m going to have to inform the head captain.”

Renji nodded. He figured as much, though he doubted the head captain would take seriously the threat Kurosaki potentially posed. If Renji hadn’t faced the kid himself, he’d have a hard time believing what Kurosaki was capable of. “I still don’t get what Ichimaru was up to, though,” Renji said, sipping his tea. It was nice to be able to talk to Byakuya like this again-- strategizing and thinking out loud together. Renji had forgotten how well they could work together. “What I don’t get is why he didn’t he set up any kind of real defense? What if there had been an army outside that gate instead of just one kid? Even with my troops in place, we could have been overwhelmed.”

“What were his reasons when you spoke to him?”

“Uh,” Renji hesitated, chopsticks half-way to his mouth. “I didn’t approach, sir. He had no idea we were there at all.”

“What?” Byakuya asked sharply. “It’s your duty to inform a superior officer when you arrive on scene.”

“I know my damn duty,” Renji snapped back. “But, listen, Taicho, something about the whole thing seemed off from the get go. So I trusted my gut and kept everyone at the ready, but hidden.”

Byakuya’s lips were thin. His gaze seemed to suddenly focus at Renji’s side, “Your ‘gut’ instinct, was it?”

“Yes, mine,” Renji insisted, though his hand dropped as though to shield Zabimaru.

“Your ‘guts’ sound more like cowardice,” Byakuya said coolly. “You would hide from a captain in need?”

“Oi, I would have stepped up if Ichimaru had ever faltered or called for help—all of our people would have. I specifically told ours to follow any of the Third’s orders. But, Ichimaru was never in _need_ , sir. He took out the gate guardian and Kurosaki in two moves. And, honestly? If anything, he seemed to be toying with them, like the whole thing was some hilarious game.”

Byakuya raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. Tell me this impression of yours has nothing to do with your previous history with Ichimaru.”

Renji set his cup down firmly. “I can’t. You _know_ I think he’s a weasel-faced creep, but you’ve got to believe me when I say that I wouldn’t let him hang out of spite. It might be satisfying to sit back and watch Kurosaki kick his ass, but I wouldn’t let invaders breech the Seireitei's walls just to satisfy a personal grudge against one man.”

“Very well,” Byakuya said finally. “But you will follow procedures to the letter from now on out, do you understand?”

Renji had to fight not to roll his eyes, “Yes, sir.”

#

At least this time the head captain agreed to see him, though he didn’t seem to be taking Byakuya’s concerns very seriously. In fact, he seemed stuck on a single detail very far back in the story.

Yamamoto scratched his thick beard as he sat on a cushion on the dais. “You didn’t deliver the killing blow?”

“No,” Byakuya said again from where he knelt. “As I explained, sir, the boy was as good as dead. My real concern is with Captain Ichimaru and his disregard for--“

“‘As good as’? Are you getting sloppy Captain Kuchiki?”

Byakuya grit his teeth. “Sir, if we could just focus on today’s events?”

“Did you hesitate for your sister’s sake? Did she ask you to spare the boy?”

Byakuya counted to ten silently in his head. Curse this old man. Of course he’d done it for Rukia’s sake! If Renji hadn’t been there, guarding his honor, Byakuya would have turned coat entirely and faked Rukia’s death and secreted her away somewhere far away from the entire Gotei 13. He took a breath, and explained calmly. “My orders were to either execute Rukia for her crimes or deliver her to justice, which I did. The human boy’s involvement was inconsequential. I dealt with him as I saw fit.”

“And now your mistake has come back to haunt us.”

With effort, Byakuya kept his fists from curling into tight balls. “Let us hope, then, that Ichimaru has, in fact, rid us of this nuisance. If so, it would be the one thing he did today I would approve of.”

The head captain seemed a bit taken aback by Byakuya’s vehemence, even though Byakuya had been very careful to control his voice. The old man blinked a little and frowned. “What was it that happened today that has you so upset?”

Byakuya sighed and began his story again.


End file.
